Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-19
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
You work at home and have a problem with a piece of equipment that you use for your job.
Write a letter to the shop or company which supplied the equipment. In your letter
- describe the problem with the equipment
- explain how this problem is affecting your work
- say what you want the shop or company to do
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Student answer (Band 6.0)
Dear Sir,
With great concern, I want to state my issue regarding the charger that I purchased from your shop last night.
The charger of my laptop was not working properly so, I replaced it with a new one. Unfortunately the wire of a new charger has been broken suddenly and causing a connectivity issue. However it was fine last night and I used it efficiently. I think, the frequent loadshedding that I experienced in the early morning, causes this situation.
As I am an employee of an international firm, I used to do online-work at night. I have to attend meetings with cheif executive officers of different companies. The broken wire will create a problem for me to accomplish my tasks during my duty hours.
It is requested to replace it as soon as possible. I would be grateful if you could consider this issue and take action. I hope, an appropriate action will be taken to prevent similar situations from occuring in the future. I look forward to hearing your response and a satisfactory resolution to this issue.
Regards.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response successfully covers all three bullet points required by the task prompt. You clearly described the problem by explaining that the wire of the new charger has broken suddenly, causing connectivity issues. You also explained the impact on your work, noting that you are an employee of an international firm who works at night and needs to attend meetings with chief executive officers. Finally, you stated what you want the company to do by requesting a replacement as soon as possible. The tone is appropriate for a formal complaint letter, and all requirements are met adequately, placing the response comfortably within Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The letter maintains a coherent overall arrangement with a clear beginning, middle, and end, following standard formal letter conventions. Paragraphing is utilised to separate the description of the problem, the impact on work, and the desired resolution. However, cohesion is occasionally mechanical or faulty. For instance, the transition 'However it was fine last night' is used awkwardly, and the connection between sentences in the second paragraph could flow more naturally. Paragraphing choices are functional, but referencing and linking devices need greater flexibility and control to reach a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating functional workplace terms such as 'international firm', 'online-work', and 'duty hours'. There are, however, some lexical inaccuracies and spelling errors that prevent a higher score, such as 'loadshedding' (often written as two words or load shedding) and the spelling mistake 'cheif' instead of 'chief'. Furthermore, phrasing like 'With great concern, I want to state my issue' is somewhat unnatural for a simple equipment complaint. Nevertheless, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate your message clearly without causing serious strain for the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The letter features a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating a reasonable attempt at varied grammar structures. You successfully used conditional and modal forms such as 'I would be grateful if you could consider this issue'. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward punctuation, such as unnecessary commas ('properly so, I replaced' and 'I think, the frequent loadshedding... causes this situation'). There is also a tense inconsistency when shifting between past actions and present routines. These errors do not impede overall communication, but they occur frequently enough to typify Band 6.0 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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